Strength in Silence on November 19th, 2025

Good morning, et cetera, dear Reader! We find ourselves on this side of the grave yet again today - hallelujah! Thank You, Lord. 💖 Please click here if you'd like to read today's Proverb. 

Today, I'm impressed with Jesus' strength to always be gentle towards others (other than when He was flipping tables in the temple, that is). Often, when others would accuse Him and otherwise verbally abuse Him, He chose to not dignify their harmful words with any sort of response - save silence, and there were some people (according to Scripture) who He never responded to no matter what that person said to Him (like King Herod Antipas, for example). 

Though some could argue that His silence was indicative of fear and/or weakness, I submit to you that His silence is exemplary of His divine strength and discernment instead. In my own life, I often find it difficult to not try and defend myself when under attack, which, to me speaks of pride and weakness as well as any genuine desire to communicate with the other person towards any middle-ground resolution. May I increase in discernment to know when silence is the best response! And, further, silence is a fabulous choice over any words that could cause another harm; I must always remember this.

This is also very important for me to keep in mind, just like John the Baptist said: I must decrease that He may increase (John 3:30)

Which means to me that if harm comes to me, but Christ is glorified in that, then it is all worth it, full stop - and the Scripture further encourages that death to Self (ego) here:

So many of the martyred saints support these truths as well; consider the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was unalived for his faith by the Nazi regime during WWII, who said:

The cost of true discipleship is never less than everything, even up to and including our very lives, and that normally starts with dying to ourselves (starving ego no matter the pain). May I be more and more like Him YES, even if it literally kills me. He paid the ultimate price for my redemption, may I be ready to accept His entire will for me, no matter what that looks like. 
I pray for the salvation of every soul whose eyes have seen these words, in Jesus' Name, amen. 💜